Livelihood Resource Program (LRP)

Livelihood Resource Program (LRP) is implemented by BIRDS as part of CHETANA Network. This section describes the progress of the CHENATA network activities, in the country, as BIRDS is the Nodal Agency, holding not only the responsibility of routing funds to

partners but also to fulfill the mandate to report to the donor.

As in the past, main focus, during the period, was on four aspects viz., community mobilization, lobbying and advocacy, strengthening of collective responses and strengthening faith initiatives. Intensifying grass root community mobilizations lead to sector-wise alliances with other area constituencies. Minimum level lobbying and advocacy action with public and state machineries was helpful addressing the core issues and seeking alternatives for the community.

CHETHANA in its continued campaign, “Right to Life and Livelihood Resources” working with Dalit, Adivais, Women, small and Marginal Farmers and Artisan Communities, during the reporting period also. Developing closer relationship with Sacramento community by mutual exchange visit was an important aspect in CHETANA’s mission. The change of leadership, administrative re-arrangement was another important development in CEHTHANA, in the reporting period. On the other side, marginalized communities were struggling in different ways under the yoke of all the powerful forces around them. Focus during the reporting period on land-livelihood and human rights.

While dalits were landless, tribal communities faced eviction from their hearth and hope in the forest. They were also denied access to minor forest produce. The issue of Right over the Land and Livelihood was dealt by mobilizing people over the questions of fair distribution of land, giving ownership rights, land alienation and degradation, sustainable agriculture, negation of community based (waste land, temple land and common land) livelihood resources, un-employment, etc. Human right violation, particularly of dalit, tribal and women, practices of untouchability (discriminatory practices based on caste) preventing access to basic needs, violence and harassment against such groups, sexual abuse, harassment, dowry deaths, desertion, domestic violence etc., were addressed during the reporting period.

Mobilization of the community
Groups which are in this fold strengthened the Small and Marginal Farmers association in their respective working areas like, Madurai, Dindigul, and Perampalur Districts of Tamil Nadu. These Associations came together and formed as Small and Marginal farmers Movement of Tamil Nadu.

CHETHANA works with two artisan communities in Kerala viz., bamboo worker and weavers. Unions of these artisan communities were strengthened during the reporting period, apart from formation of Bamboo Workers Union and Handloom Weavers Union in the Andhra Pradesh. Bamboo Workers Union has developed a Lobbying Cell called as Bamboo Mission to carry out Government program and policy level lobbying with state Government. Efforts are going on to federate these two state level unions with the unions of other states to form an apex body at the national level.

Campaign initiative: Right to Life and Livelihood Resources of Women’s Sector
Women groups from Thiruvannamalai (RSWS and BMGMI), Chennai (FORWARD) and Pudukottai (AIMSS) of Tamil Nadu worked toward strengthening grass root women’s organizations. They have been successful in organizing women labor in the unorganized sector- agriculture, quarries, construction, brick-making and small entrepreneurs. They have successfully lobbied with the government against its withdrawal from health services.

The Group from Pudukottai, has been able to organize the quarry workers and advocate their right to contract out the quarry and continue mining as co-operative venture of women of the locality. The groups in their respective places have been able to organize public education programs on women’s rights, ownership issues, participation of women in governance etc,

The Women’s groups- FORWORD, RSWS, BMGMI have organized legal awareness programs and also take up legal action against instances of sexual abuse, rape, domestic violence, and other forms of discrimination based on gender.

The Civil Rights Day Public events of women and market economy, emerging fascism and its impact on women, women and their right over employment, women’s reproductive right, and ownership right.

In the context of women in un-organized work, CHETHANA have conducted a workshop Women Sector group to identify the possibilities of mobilization of the women in un-organized work.

The objective of the programme was to organize the women involved in unorganized sectors and to ensure their right to livelihood through unionization.

Sujatha an activist, in the field of organizing the unorganized and Subbu a veteran leader of unionization along with their team facilitated the workshop. Sujatha in her opening address pointed out that the social activists in the past ten years had been involved in addressing the issues of domestic violence, and women’s sexual harassment etc, but now the emerging change is towards women’s involvement in the economical activities. Here emerges the need to get them organized and unionized in order to ensure their rightful living with economical rights.

At the end of the three days workshop the following action plan was collectively decided by the participants.
It was decided that a study and data based statistics of women, working in the unorganized sectors, covered by CHETHANA, should be taken up.

1. The women working in the U.O.S. should be sensitized and information imparted to them on the need for such an initiative.
2. The labour rights of women working in U.O.S. should be imparted to them.
3. The general information’s in this concern should be widened through electronic and literary Medias.
4. The leaders of the areas work wise and other wise should be met with, towards getting recognition for this initiativ

The organizational Heads and Government Departmental heads should be met with.

5.2.3 Land and Human Right Campaign of Dalits and Adivasis
Andhra Pradesh groups like BIRDS, AARDIP, NISARGA, RDS, and SABALA have been able to strengthen the grass- root organizations of Dalits. BIRDS and ARRDIP were able to mobilize Dalits in an area about 1/4th of Andhra Pradesh under the banner of Dalit Samayaka (Dalit United Forum) and they trained about 210 activists for cadre building. Similar efforts are being made to expand this mission to the areas of SABALA and RDS.

NISARGA was able to establish very strong organizations of unorganized agricultural workers mainly belonging to Dalit Caste in 20 villages in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh with trained animators in each village. These groups have been able to accomplish unionization of agricultural laborers, put pressure on the administration and big land holders to implement the land reform legislations and force them to give up land held under fraudulent titles, and give title deeds to landless people. The groups- NISARGA, AARDIP and RDS- have been able to appropriate 183 acres, 85 acres and 20 acres of land respectively for distribution among the landless Dalits.

The NISARGA in Andhra Pradesh, through effective mass action, advocacy and lobbying was able to remove untouchability practices in 6 villages, to introduce food for work schemes in 8 villages and minimum wages in 12 villages. It was able to ensure equal wages in 7 villages and the enrolment of all the children in schools. Groups from Adoni and Nandyal have lobbied with local and state administration state for labor contracts and food for work schemes to prevent large-scale migration due to extreme poverty. Groups from Tamil Nadu, the Arunthathiar Co-ordination Forum strengthened their movement by conducting Awakening yatras in many district.  The cultural Teams have been formed in 2 districts. They are very well organized under the banner of Arunthathiar Coordination Forum.

Groups like SSB have been able to strengthen the Tribal women Co-operatives to get the contracts of Minor Forest Produces. Dalit study Circle has also been striving to widen their influence to 2 more districts in Chattisgarh

Litigation is inevitable for the groups involved in human right issues. Dalit groups encounter violence and human right abuses. All our Dalit groups are involved in legal education efforts and also litigation against human right abuses. They also involve in law suits directed against illegal and fraudulent holding of land by higher caste and the powerful and the apathy of the administration and the bureaucracy in the face of such gross violations of the law. The groups- APVVU, Dalit Samyka, Arunthathiyar Co-ordination Forum, Dalit Study Circle- have been actively involved in legal action against all forms of violence against Dalits, practices of untouchability, and illegal and fraudulent land holding. Cases were filed in the recent incidence of violence against Dalits in Coimbatore and Chattisgarh and also were taken up with human rights organizations in India.

Pamphlets, poster camapign and study materials on nature of land holdings and exclusion of Dalits from holding lands, particularly government lands in the form of temple land, common land, violence against Dalits, and discriminatory practices. The have been able to form labor contract societies in five mandals-  (districts).  They were able to force the administration to deal with the water scarcity in the area by opening up out lets from the irrigation canals passing through their property, which was earlier denied to them. The SSB, Orissa, have been successful in lobbying with the state for the right of tribal people over minor forest produce (MFP). The BIRDS was able to access welfare provisions by the government such as food work schemes to large sections of people in its area of operation. The SABALA was able to force the administration to concede the right of Dalits to access irrigation canals passing through their lands.

Based on the Punnaiah Commission’s Report, groups have done an effective and meaningful advocacy and lobbying role with public and state. One of the major advocacy actions was to reform the land sealing act and distribution of available land to landless at Andhra Pradesh areas, Miner Forest Produces right to Tribal groups at Orrisa. Certain places in Andhra Pradesh groups were actively involved to lobby with the government to initiate Labour Contract societies. The People’s organizations like APVVU and Dalit Samyka were actively involved in all kinds of atrocities cases against dalit community by legal action. Several issues like Untouchability, Land distribution, Land grabbing, Sexual harassment and social discrimination etc, have been taken-up for further actions.

Various studies with regard to existing Untouchability practices in the State of Andhra Pradesh have been documented. Information regarding violation of the Land Ceiling act and illegal holding of lands by powerful people are identified documented. Subsequently, pressures are put on the Government through legal and other non-violent pressure tactics. The exact figures of the number of the people who got land by pursuing such measures can be stated.

As a collective initiative, groups have observed a common civil right day program in their respective areas. Human Rights day, Ambedkar day, Anti-globalization day etc, were identified to respond to the common topics like, Dalit land and ownership, Human rights, Political participation of the marginalized etc.

As a part of Core program, Legal trainings were organized for cadres of the Andhra Pradesh groups. Public meetings and Awareness rallies were conducted in different places like Chittor, Kurnool, Adoni, Nandyal, Mandanapalli, and Orrisa with regard to the Right to life of Dalit and Adivasis. Dalit cultural mela was one of the major events organized at Chattisgargh to Celebrate and understand the meaning of the life.
 
Dalit Samyka of Andhra Pradesh has initiated Labor contract societies in two places to combat issues like, un-employment, migration and hunger. In challenging the existing contract system particularly on the public works, this alternative step is making the people more powerful there by politically more articulated. Since the society is getting the work to be done, it gives lot of employment opportunities for the un-employed people. Thereby it minimizes the migration, and ensures the livelihood right of the people.

“Food for work leads to Food Security”: as a part of the National Campaign against the negative implications of globalization and WTO agreement on agriculture, APVVU, a people’s organization has been very much instrumental in struggling against the anti-people policies. In order to combat the negative implications of WTO agreement on agriculture where Indian Government has signed even much before the time offered, APVVU have announced series of actins against the government decision.

As a follow up this declaration, group have initiated various steps in mobilizing food for work schemes to implement the judgment of public interest litigation cases in Supreme Court.

Campaign on Sustainable Agriculture
Groups, which are in this fold, strive to strengthen the Small and Marginal Farmers in their respective regions- Madurai, Dindigul, and Perampalur Districts of Tamil Nadu. These Associations came together and formed the Small and Marginal farmers Movement of Tamil Nadu. They have been able to bring about 250 village organic farmer’s organizations into their fold and promote their cause.

Promotion of Seed banks is one of the major initiatives of our groups in this sector. They promote traditional method of seed preservation in many places. They have produced Pamphlets on seed banks, vermin-compost, bio-fertilizers and insecticides, and organic farming. The Groups have been formed into a small and marginal farmer’s organization. They have been lobbying with the legislatures against leasing out large acres of government lands to private agro-business firms, their unrestricted use of ground water, and entry of multi-nationals into large scale commercial farming operations and thus compromising the food security of people and allowing large scale alienation of land from small and marginal farmers.

Our core programme promoted collective effort to promote and propagate usage of traditional seeds of miner millets and traditional food varieties. There is a growing awareness among small and marginal farmers for the need of change in cropping pattern. Miner millets are more suitable crops in drought –pruned and poor rain-fed areas. Dry land cultivation
of miner millets will motivate small and marginal farmers to switch over to sustainable agricultural practices. See bank promotion has encouraged the farmers to initiate self-reliant farming method in future. However it is a very small level initiative to just enter in to mobilizing the community for collection of seeds. A small support from our core programme was promoted seed bank concept in few places like Dindigul, Madurai, Perampalur

Right to Livelihood of Traditional Occupational Communities
CHETHANA involves with two artisan communities- HUMUS from Kerala dealing with the issues of Bamboo Workers, and the Handloom Weavers Union in the Kammum District of Andhra Pradesh which works toward federate other unions in the same occupation. They provide leadership and work closely with Kerala Bamboo Workers Union.

They are also making steady progress in linking themselves up with research and development organizations, technological institutions, government departments and sister organizations working for the cause of Rural Artisans. Few members of the Bamboo Workers Union under gone the skill development training with the help of NID (National Institute for design). They are also making steady progress in linking themselves up with research and development organizations, technological institutions, government departments and sister organizations working for the cause of Rural Artisans. Few members of the Bamboo Workers Union under gone the skill development training with the help of NID (National Institute for design).

CHETHANA has organised a skill development training programme for Dalit Handloom weavers at kammam of Andhra Pradesh.

Mr.M.Mohan Rao, President-State Handloom Weaver helped the CEHTHNA team to conduct this training programme in successes full way. In his text the main point he found for the low living style and suicides of handloom weavers was entry of foreign companies and their prominence against us and which further resulted to the low wage rates for people. According to him although Government is trying a lot but any sort of skill training, subsidy loans etc is not going to their way and if any change has to come – “Needs a country wide movement”.

This moment should go beyond villages, mandals, districts, states with the help of social organizations they can come out of their problems and for this they can even take help of government and several social organizations Ultimately there was a decision made by the whole group to repeat the history to boycott foreign clothes and start stepping ahead to our way